what is the most inspirational quote and or video you have seen that inspires hope and or the will to fight?

I suffer from depression. Kevin's video really hit home because it's the closest explanation for everything I have been experiencing and dealing with in the past three years. I'm currently in the severe state of apathy that he talks about but all these motivational videos and a lot of quotes I have seen recently are starting to help so my question is what is the most inspirational quote and or video you have seen that inspires hope and or the will to fight.

For example:
I heard a quote that has been stuck in my mind for a year now. And I think of it before I make any decision no matter how important,

Oct 8 2013:
Choice may or may not be the right word, but fear is an involuntary mental action. And like other involuntary mental actions (heart rate, breathing and blinking) we can learn to control and manage the action. Or like chills and sweating we can control the environment to manage the reaction.

But fear and depression are two different things, with just one important similarity. Like all problem you need to find the source, and beware of false premises in the search.

Oct 9 2013:
Couldn't agree more with you, I have a very difficult time correctly explaining and or trying to make people understand any of it. But I do know one thing for sure, finding the source is key... At least that's kinda my last hope at this point, I've been to several different doctors at most of them they get my hopes up saying they think they figured out the right direction in which to go along with therapy, and each time they turned out to be false premises, which sends you deeper and deeper until you get to the point I'm at now. Apathy honestly doesn't get the point across, like I said very hard for me to describe it. I know you probably hear this a lot but you truly can't understand the gravity and or the effects (which are rarely the same for each person) of what I'm trying to explain until you experience what I'm talking about.

P.S.
I think it would at least relieve a large chunk of unnecessary stress if I could just find the right words for this, but I'm not sure it's possible. Oh well

And thank you everybody for your input, it helps more then you know to just talk things through even if I don't get the answers I'm looking for.

Oct 6 2013:
“Behind me is infinite power. Before me is endless possibility. Around me is boundless opportunity. Why should I fear?” - Mac Anderson
"What lies behind us and what lies before us are tiny matters compared to what lies within us." - Ralph Waldo Emerson
"Man is free at the instant he wants to be." - Voltaire

Oct 9 2013:
Definitely like that one for sure, I'm gonna look up this qoute, author doesn't give a name it just says a random monk in a certain time period. This one reminded me of that, ill post it when I find it, I think you'd enjoy it, and like I have been saying everyone of these comments helps even if it's just the fact that I'm getting on here almost everyday where there is positive thinking. So thanks again

Oct 9 2013:
When I was a young man, I wanted to change the world.
I found it was difficult to change the world, so I tried to change my nation.
When I found I couldn’t change the nation, I began to focus on my town.
I couldn’t change the town and as an older man, I tried to change my family.
Now, as an old man, I realize the only thing I can change is myself,
and suddenly I realize that if long ago I had changed myself,
I could have made an impact on my family.
My family and I could have made an impact on our town.
Their impact could have changed the nation and
I could indeed have changed the world.

I guess I like this one because it reminds me that especially right now I can't let myself get overwhelmed with problems to fix, taking it one day at a time one thing at a time and all that good stuff.
And it also helps me remember that I may never be completely free of this but even though I have several years under my belt with this, these things cannot be timed. Because the second you try to put a number on it, and you lose faith in even a smallest believe that it could get better, well unfortunately that usually means your time expires

Oct 9 2013:
:) Nice.
With every action we are changing the world, imperceptibly but surely. Question is are we changing it for better or worse?
Suppose you smoke. You decide to quit and stop smoking. On an average you stop contributing 5 mg of carcinogens in the air, may be in your life time two people are saved from having cancer. They live on average 10 years longer, one of them possibly lives to finish writing a book and receives a Pulitzer prize.
So in effect you changed the world to get one more Pulitzer prize winner. Wow!

Oct 9 2013:
Having suffered from depression through the majority of my life I recently had a life changing event reading two books by Eckhardt Tolle. "The Power of Now" and "A New Earth"(If you are only going for on of them, go for A New earth - this was the most profound for me).
The titel makes them sound a bit new age/wacky religious. But what you can really take away from them is the realisation that you are completely caught up in your own thoughts. Until you start disassociating with these thoughts, you will most likely keep living in suffering.

A couple of weeks after reading these books, I had a deep spiritual experience that literally "blew my mind" not only did I feel a deep connectedness(to something...) almost all of my negative thougths were erased from my mind. I am in no way/shape or form religous and if it I hadnt expereinced it, I would not have believed it possible. I now have a completely different outlook on life. Though i still have minor relapses, I now have and unshakable belief that I will get through it.

You should look at it this way. The universe is trying to show you a better way to live, not only that, it might actually be showing you a shortcut! The fact you are living in so much pain and suffering could make it easier to free yourself from "your thinking mind".

I would go so far as to say that my depression might have been the best thing that has ever happened to me. Food for thought..

Oct 8 2013:
At times this inspiritional poem helps me.
by
Philosopher John O’Donohue (1956 – 2008)
,
When the light around you lessens
And your thoughts darken until
Your body feels fear turn
Cold as a stone inside
,
When you find yourself bereft
Of any belief in yourself
And all you unknowingly
Leaned on has fallen
,
When one voice commands
Your whole heart,
And it is raven dark,
,
Steady yourself and see
That is is your own thinking
That darkens your world
,
Search and you will find
A diamond-thought of light
,,
Know that you are not alone
And that this darkness has purpose
Gradually it will school your eyes
To find the one gift your life requires
Hidden within this night-corner.
,
Invoke the learning
Of every suffering
You have suffered.
,
Close your eyes
Gather all the kindling
About your heart
To create one spark.
That is all you need
To nourish the flame
That will cleanse the dark
Of its weight of festered fear.
,
A new confidence will come alive
To urge you towards higher ground
Where your imagination
Will learn to engage difficulty
As its most rewarding threshold!

"All we have to decide is what to do with the time that is given to us. There are other forces at work in this world Frodo, besides the will of evil. Bilbo was meant to find the Ring. In which case, you were also meant to have it. And that is an encouraging thought."

Oct 3 2013:
Rachel Naomi Remens, who is a doctor at UCSF and has lived her life with chronic illness, has written two books. One is called Kitchen Table Wisdom and the other is called something like My Grandfather's Blessing. There is also a quote collection. Each book is a set of short vignettes presenting mostly the stories of patients who you might feel would have every justification for being depressed but have a way of thinking about life and death that overcomes this.

There is a spiritual flavor to her writing but not a religious one.

She has online talks as well, but as her practice has a large component of working with doctors and other medical people who work with patience undergoing trauma, her talks (rather than her books) tend to be addressing practitioners on how to serve their patients in this time.

That site also has a video library of bible dramas. Sometimes spending time enjoying spiritual things lifts our spirit.
I have a deep empathy for individuals who suffer from depression.
I hope you prayerfully continue to endure your circumstances, and avail yourself of the help God offers through his word.
Be Well,
Mary :)

A favorite quote of mine....."You may not always be able to change your circumstances, but you can always make an effort and change your attitude".

Oct 15 2013:
Three of the most helpful quote for me have been:
"The cure for the pain is the pain." -Sunni proverb
"Pain is inevitable, suffering is optional." -I'm unsure of this origin
"Just do it." -Nike

All three are not necessarily positive words, but I've found that when I look at comforting, optimistic quotes, they only make me feel more detached and different from the rest of the world. The first one gives pain meaning so I don't see my feelings as pointless. The second legitimizes my feelings, but reminds me there is help and hope. The third one helps me open my eyes and get out of bed every morning.

Oct 9 2013:
I definitely like the idea, obviously not too keen on spending that kind of money too see anything but we will see! Are you a member? If not maybe direct me to exactly what you were referring cause when I skimmed I didn't see any good free stuff or so I thought

Oct 20 2013:
Brentley hi, wow, I am on TED quite often, but for some reason, I did not get notified of this reply from you. I just now saw it because I came back to your conversation to read any additional comments.

I am not familiar with the operations of aath.org, but I saw it posted under Kevin's talk, and thought I'd share it with you.

Oct 4 2013:
Scott,i would like to share a poem with you:
Our Deepest Fear
It is our light not our darkness that most frightens us.
Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate.
Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure.

We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous?

Actually, who are you not to be?
You are a child of God.
Your playing small does not serve the world.
There's nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you.

We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us.

It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone.
And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same.

As we are liberated from our own fear, Our presence automatically liberates others.

Oct 9 2013:
Great example, I'm not sure if it is word for word the same, but there is a line in the movie coach carter that starts out like your poem and I really enjoyed that one if you know what I'm referring too.

Oct 9 2013:
I appreciate you taking the time to read and throw in a suggestion, I am definitely always looking for a good laugh, the only problem is these days, things that I would usually love and think are funny and relate maybe, are just not anymore, it's really kinda sad. I think the reason I was specific with inspirational, it's hard to explain , but it usually in my experience it makes a deeper more profound thought process start, which sometimes makes me confront things I wouldn't otherwise that need to be confronted, OR make me feel good for the rest of that day, which is HUGE.

I wish I could put it a better way, I feel like I've lost the ability to explain things all together! Haha
BUT
If you do have any favorite funny sayings or whatever you might have that you wouldn't mind posting for me,
Always worth a try, haha I'd almost consider paying you if you could make me laugh out loud (my real laugh not the fake one, that I have gotten way to good at by the way ha.
Anyway thanks again

Oct 2 2013:
The lord of the rings.I really like it. It inspired me that justice beats evils in the end!And also learned other human things from it:friendships,courage, a simple heart without lust......

Oct 9 2013:
The only thing I was happy about is realizing like who were my real friends and or just kinda how to protect myself from bullshit I general. I would say that if that hadn't opened my eyes. I would just be completely miserable you know?

Oct 9 2013:
I think there is definitely something great that happened, that's when I realized how I let people treat me, and realized that I was extremely unhappy, it was honestly so weird because I realize now my thinking hasn't drastically changed whatsoever, I realized I have always been this unhappy I just somehow hid the truth from myself, got comfortable with the pain, until I guess one day I just woke up and starting realizing that I'd never actually been "happy" I mean and I starting noticing all the things in my life that wernt right which was practically everything. I think that's when it went to where I'm at now.

Anyway would you be comfortable explaining with more detail the event? If you wanted it to be privately, you could email me at brentley_smith@yahoo.com

If not I understand but I think hearing the details would help a lot,

One more question? Did you kind of understand what I've been trying to explain about how I'm pretty past the point of will power being able to superceed it, as in (i dont know if read all my posts) but if you can relate to how I can't really explain it and how it isn't, i dont know I hope you understand what I'm asking.

Oct 9 2013:
That's a good question indeed, but I think it can be argued reasonably for both points. I guess that's where faith comes into play, not necessarily faith in god, that too if that's what it means to you but also faith in your fellow human being. You can only have faith that the good outweighs the bad. One thing no one could argue against is NOONE. Is perfect so there's gonna be some bad.

But now I feel bad cause I unfortunately partake in the nasty habit, bows just really not the best time to try and quit though honestly

Oct 9 2013:
I have been though depression, so never give-up, others have made it through it and so can you.

For many people with mild depression the best thing is “physical-activity”, personally I enjoy a good productive-physical-activity. It does not need to be marathon, just be active. Go for a walk, sweep the sidewalk, do some gardening, just force yourself to DO!

When at the end of the day and looking back on the day, there will always be I didn’t (everyone has them) the trick is have some I DIDs do wash the didn’ts from your thoughts.

Oct 9 2013:
I would definitely not use the word mild to describe my situation. I mean I maybe would have used that to describe it three or four months ago. And I'm not saying mine is any more important or carries more weight, what I'm saying is I'm not saying I would say "no man you don't know shit about depression" cause like I said earlier everyone is equally important no ones problems are bigger or smaller their just different, anyway back to my point.... Where I was going with that is, my psychiatrist(the only one I have trusted this far, seems very competent) and I have talked in depth about a lot of this, and I he explained that there are a few different "degrees" of depression, so maybe your experience wasn't to my "degree". Again I'm not taking anything away from you, that's not my intention. It's just very hard to hear over and over and over again from my parents and or close buddies that know about all this, and don't understand even though they say they do saying stuff like you just gotta do it man, and try to apply how they do things to me........
When in reality you can tell they think I'm just lazy and or something of that sort, when in reality most of the time I physically don't have the energy to even do simple tasks and I can't even describe how hard it is to get motivated to do something active. I'm not saying that's the case all the time but it's definitely the majority. My point is it's extremely frustrating when it's implied or hinted at that I'm not doing everything I can to help myselfOn the other hand I will admit more recently there have been times I could just will through stuff like going for a run or you know whatever might be good but I'm at a stage where sometimes I just don't even care anymore, I'm tired in every sense of the word you could think of and just done. Meaning the only thing that has kept me from throwing a barrel in my mouth is knowing how bad that would hurt my family, but then I wonder........,,,,,

Oct 9 2013:
How long is that bridge gonna hold. My point is I never thought I'd give up on trying to get better and that's pretty much where I'm at now it took several years to get that way but it happened.. I dont know I don't mean to turn this real morbid just gotta get some things off my mind, can't wait until a session